Spritzhenry's Outbox

Do you have time for anything else? It must almost be a full time job looking after your begonias, let alone your friend's! Congratulations, by the way...

What a beautiful fuchsia - I didn't realise you could get almost all-mauve ones!

What a great picture! Are you a clever techie or did you cut up pictures and re-photograph thrm?

We put up a bird table earlier this year, with 2 hooks underneath, one for a peanut feeder, the other for hanging fat balls. I also put a plant saucer of water on the table. Funnily enough, there was a bit of french bread left over from visitors we had, and the birds wouldn't touch it! They love home made brown bread - it goes rapidly. I buy mixed bird seed frrom the pet shop, and also the fat balls as they seem to be cheaperI there than from the supermarkets. We also have shrubs with berries, the birds soon strip them! I don't get the chance of bringing holly with berries in at Christmas...I agree with you - I love watching the birds.

You are right - acers don't like sunny or windy positions. Its leaves are telling you to move it into the shade and shelter! We have an expert on this sit on growing acers - look at Sodapopkl's pictures!

This looks like a lily - if it is, no it only flowers once, then not until next summer. Have you got them in pots? If so, continue to feed and water until the stems die back naturally, then keep frost free and dry until spring when you can start watering again to 'wake' them up!

Help! I went to Asda today, and there weren't any ant traps. I've looked on E.Bay and they have Nippon traps and ones which call themselves 'rock' ant traps. Which do I buy please? I've used the Nippon powder indoors, no problem. No idea what the others are.

That's the problem, Lily. They seem to be at the edge of the lawn into the flowerbeds, so if I pour boiling water, the plants won't appreciate it! I'll take a trip to Asda next week and try the ant traps....let you know what happens. Got to do something, I'm fed up with being bitten.

Looks like 'Morning Glory' to me - lovely colours, aren't they! What else did you grow?

...However, the slugs have eaten one of my new Tropaeolum Speciosum plants.... but they would have if it had been wet, too!!

Now come on, Joey, isn't this better than the torrential rain we had only a short time ago? Make the most of it (when you can) and watch the plants that enjoy the sun thrive! I am no longer afraid for my lavenders and have high hopes for my new canna! The osteospermums are full out every day instead of coyly staying closed up, and O.K. it's hard to keep up with the watering, but at least it's a change from soggy ruined blooms! I know which I'd rather have...:-)

I think the answer to the date palms is to pot on if the roots are coming through the pot holes. I don't think that you should try your plants outside unless you have a very sheltered spot, then covering with fleece during cold weather might help survival - but it would be a big risk. They are after all from warmer climes aren't they! Do you have cold winters in your area?

Thank you Holly - we began to try close-ups of blooms inspired by Joey! Our camera is a bit out of date, but does still seem to do the job! We now have a file in the PC called 'Blooms' and it has over a 100 close-ups in it...I had the job of naming them all and it's quite hard to recognise some :-O...I certainly won't be putting them all on this site, it would probably blow up under the strain :-)

I'd like to grow this, but isn't it rather a big plant? Not sure I've got room...:-(

Lovely colour scheme!

How beautiful!

Not meaning to be funny - but have you tried searching the internet? I did that for a new long bladed trowel, looked at the pictures and makes, then searched for a local supplier so that I could view them and touch them. This was a successful ploy!

If it's the large leaved white flowered variety, you could try sticking small sticks in and encourage it to climb up them, then wipe the top growing point leaves with gel weedkiller - this travels through the plants and kills off the roots. I expect that this method might also be effective if you've got the small leaved pink flowered bindweed. I've done this in my flower borders and it works, so why not give it a try! Good luck.

Thanks weemamabell - but are they safe with dogs? I am sure you've realised that we have Henry living with us!

My husband has looked at your close-up photos and decided to see if our camera could do it too - he got some great shots! I'll try to insert some.